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Hello everyone,
One of the most underestimated skills of a great Executive Assistant isn't managing a calendar. It's navigating two (or sometimes more) inboxes at once: your own and your executive's. On busy days, emails come from every direction. Clients are waiting for answers, colleagues need approvals, vendors are following up, and you're copied on conversations that may or may not require your action. The challenge isn't reading every email. It's knowing which ones matter, what still needs a response, and what can wait.
Traditionally, that instinct came from years of experience, along with plenty of missed follow-ups, late-night inbox searches, and hard-earned lessons. Today, AI can shoulder some of that cognitive load. Think of it as your copilot, helping you surface unanswered emails, identify conversations that may have slipped through the cracks, and even suggest thoughtful draft replies. It won't replace your judgment, but it can help you navigate the chaos with a little more confidence and a lot less stress.
Week 6
Last week, we focused on giving AI better context so it could become a more strategic partner. This week, let's put that into practice. One of the simplest, most practical ways to use AI is right inside the tool you already use every day: your inbox.
At a glance
💡 This week's takeaway: Learn how to use the AI already built into Outlook or Gmail to surface missed emails, unanswered client requests, and conversations that still need your attention before they slip through the cracks.
🎯 Level: Beginner
⏱️ Time: 4 - 5 minutes
💻 You'll need: Outlook with Microsoft Copilot or Gmail with Gemini (if enabled by your organization), plus an internet connection.
AI Term of the Week: Copilot
Originally, a copilot is the second pilot in an aircraft, working alongside the captain to provide support, monitor information, and help make the flight safer and more efficient. The copilot doesn't replace the pilot. They help the pilot make better decisions.
The same idea applies to AI. Whether you're using Microsoft Copilot in Outlook, Gemini in Gmail, Breeze in HubSpot, or another AI assistant, think of it as your AI copilot. It helps you surface information, organize your work, and suggest next steps, while you remain in control of the final decisions and communications.
Part 1: You're Probably Already Paying for This
If your organization uses Microsoft 365 Copilot, you'll find Copilot directly inside Outlook.
If your organization uses Google Workspace, you'll find Gemini built into Gmail.
If your IT department has enabled these features, there's nothing extra to install (hooray!). They're already part of your daily workflow and have the advantage of understanding your mailbox context without needing you to copy and paste emails elsewhere.
Part 2: A Simple Prompt That Can Save You
Try asking Copilot or Gemini:
Review my inbox from the past [X] business days and identify emails that still appear to need a response from me or my executive.Or:
Show me conversations where I was CC'd but someone may still be waiting on my action.Or:
Which client emails appear to be waiting for a response?Or:
Identify any unanswered emails related to meetings, approvals, or client requests.Once your AI has surfaced the emails that need attention, don't write the responses from scratch! Use this follow-up prompt to keep the momentum going:
For the emails you just identified, suggest a professional reply for each. I will review and edit them before sending.Part 3: Pro Tip
Don't just ask AI to summarize your inbox. Push it further, from summarizer to true assistant, by asking it to find:
unanswered client emails
approvals waiting on you
commitments your executive made
meeting follow-ups
conversations that have gone quietBonus: AI Updates of the Week
Microsoft is introducing Copilot Autopilots, always‑on agents that handle meeting scheduling, prep materials, and deadline tracking across Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint, with the first agent “Microsoft Scout” now in private preview and a unified Copilot app targeted for August 2026.
In parallel, Teams is rolling out Facilitator, a meeting AI that detects unanswered questions or confusion in real time and posts web‑sourced explanations, plus generates notes, summaries, and follow‑up tasks - features that can significantly cut prep and recap time for EAs managing executive meetings.
Slack rolled out new Slackbot capabilities that let it connect to Gmail, Google Calendar, and Microsoft Outlook to send emails and create events on your behalf, in addition to its existing summarization and recap features. This means an EA working heavily in Slack can turn action items in channels directly into calendar invites or follow‑up emails without leaving Slack, reducing app‑switching and speeding up coordination work.
Final Thoughts
And that's it for this week.
Being a great Executive Assistant has never been about keeping an empty inbox. It's about knowing what deserves your attention, what can wait, and what your executive needs before they ask. AI won't replace that judgment. But it can become a trusted copilot, helping you surface what matters faster, reduce the mental load of managing multiple inboxes, and free up more time for the work that only you can do.
This week, challenge yourself to try just one prompt in Outlook or Gmail. You may be surprised by what your AI copilot uncovers.
See you next week!
Hit reply and tell us: What's your biggest challenge when managing your own inbox and your executive's? We'd love to hear from you and build future newsletters around the workflows that matter most to you. Your ideas may inspire a future edition of The Curve!
The Base Team
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